Doesn't anyone else think that current forms don't really evoke the feeling of "epic wizard" but instead "wacky zoo person"? Even if a gorilla is powerful... I can't think of a single fantasy work that features an archmage whose pinnacle ability is turning into a ####ing ape. Or porcupine. Or hummingbird. Or pachyderm. Or walrus.

Really, more than half of animal forms violate the sense of epicness so hard. We need them to look more monstrous and less zoo-like.

In many cases this could be alleviated as easily as retooling the descs (including short and long) so that they are more imposing. Make it more epithetic and less like a zoology book reference (sifaka lemur? white-cheeked gibbon? wtf?) And some of the forms in question could be swapped for something less pathetic-sounding while retaining the same abilities or with minimal change.

Having the descs vary based on character's cabal would also be super awesome. "Red-eyed monstrous ape" sounds way better than "silverback gorilla" for a scion, even if it is functionally the same form.

For Tribunals, instead of a warthog, the description could be "####ing pig cop"

Yeah, I like it.

Shapeshifters are my single biggest gripe with immersion in game

Instead of shape shifting into hummingbirds, we should be shape shifting into pixies!

Which makes hairy orangutans become halflings...

I agree with your vision. Its a fact some vision at CF about a shapeshifter is only through animals.. Why such a powerfull magician couldnt shange himshelf into the form of someone else? With limits of course...